When I consider my sins and how they hold me back from life, do I also consider God's mercy and grace, God's desire to forgive me and set me free from my sins, set me free to be fully alive?

When I reflect on the suffering of Jesus, do I let those thoughts bring me to reflect on how his rising is the source of my freedom before God?

Am I bowed down by worries and fears, missing moments of joy that come my way in the course of a day?

Or do I hold my head high, looking to experience a moment of joy I might encounter on my daily path? (Like biking home from work?)

Do I want to be fully alive, body and spirit? Or do I too easily settle for less? Do I sometimes think such joy will never be mine? Do I fail in trusting that just this kind of joy is what God desires for me, holds out to me, offers me?

Have I asked God to help me find such joy? see it? accept it?

Do I hold such moments when they come in a place in my heart where I can remember them? experience them again? derive strength and hope from just such memories?

When did I last have a moment of being fully alive, like my friend biking home from work? And what have I done with that moment, and the memory of it?

Find a time, find a place today, find a moment to be alone with God...
Relax and let God's Spirit give you some inner peace, help you slow down, lead you to some inner stillness...

Be still... and know that God is with you...

Be still... and know that God wants you to have joy...

Be still... and know that God wants you to be fully alive, body and spirit!

Are you new to "Praying 10 Minutes a Day in Lent" - or are you having trouble getting started? The first installment offers some thoughts on getting started, as do the subsequent posts in the series. So take a look and join us!

Are you thinking about becoming a Catholic?

The best place to start is always one of your local Catholic churches. Drop in some Sunday and see what's going on. Then you might speak to the pastor or someone on the parish staff about how they can help you and respond to your questions.